Vol 2, No 1 (2021)
- Year: 2021
- Articles: 5
- URL: https://fler.press/fler/issue/view/531
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.35213/2686-7516-2021-2-2
Articles
TEACHING MODELS IN THE CONTEXT OF OVERCOMING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER
Abstract
This study compares the models of passive, active and interactive teaching a foreign language and focuses on the educational task to overcome the language barrier by learners. Furthermore, it gives practical advice for educators to help students tackle communication problems through “Novelty of the Object principle”, “Ball Gaming”, a priority list and others. It emphasizes the three main aims of “Ball Gaming” such as the effect of unexpectedness provided by sparkling, musical and colorful balls, eradicating students’ phobias and blocks and preventing students from cheating as while catching and returning the object to the teacher or another student, it is impossible to be distracted. Moreover, the conducted research proves the specific aims of the passive, active and interactive teaching models and reveals the proportion of the most effective time consuming for them in the classroom environment. It also provides strategies for teachers contributing to encouraging shy and dyslexic students to communicate freely and avoid stress. The study also reveals the spheres of application of the above- mentioned models in the educational process when teaching the English language. More than that, the study points out the role of health care in the educational progress and, firstly, gives recommendations for dynamic interactive activities. Secondly, it emphasizes the role of hygiene providing washable visual tactile materials used in “Ball Gaming”. Finally, this research proves that interactive teaching is the most efficient model of education to help learners overcome the language barrier as the educator arranges the process using dialogues, polilogues and group work among the learners using dynamic pupil-centered activities. Following a logical combination of the above-mentioned models the educator could gain excellent results to explain, activate, practice, systematize and test the learning material and contribute to eradicating the language barrier by the learners.
5-9
PRE-LISTENING AND AND PRE-READING STAGES’ ACTIVITIES FROM THE SPEAKING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTIVE (based on Skyeng lesson development practice)
Abstract
The article focuses on the possibility of usage of Pre-listening and Pre-reading stages not only for traditional purposes of perception facilitation, but for development of students’ speaking skills. There have been presented typical exercises which fulfil the traditional aims of these stages together with the new aims. The topicality of the research lies in the attempt to shift the traditional aims of the Pre-reading and Prelistening stages to those which are aimed at student’s speaking for fluency skills. The authors claim that this practice might help design more student-centered lessons and balance the teacher and the student talking time during the lesson. All the practices described in the article are currently used during development of ESL/EFL lessons in Skyeng school which is one of the market leaders in the sphere of online English teaching. There have been justified the reasons why these practices are seen as preferred and important in the process of lesson development. The following research methods have been used: critical analysis of scientific sources and data; experimental studying (through the educational Vimbox platform in Skyeng); direct observation method. The outcomes of the research may be applied both in an online and traditional offline classroom environment to design student-centered ESL/EFL lessons.
10-13
SHAPING SKILLS OF REASONING IN ESP COURSE AT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
At present, the university graduates have to acquire not only profound knowledge but unique skills and competencies to be successful in the labour market. One of the main competencies of modern engineers is their proficiency to reason, to debate or to argue reasonably. The Russian tertiary education standards consider argumentation skills as a key competence for university graduates. These skills are critical for making decisions and students can develop their argumentation skills in their English classes at a technical university. The paper reviews and analyzes the issues of teaching reasoning in the ESP course. The authors share their ideas on the ESP design course applying IT tools and indicate the ways to pursue further research. To improve communicative competence in the specialist area, the authors suggest shaping the skills of argumentation through the ESP course acquisition. Teaching strategies, regarding stages of skills development, are identified. Theoretical background and literature review give grounds for designing effective assignments to promote fruitful communication and make our graduates more competitive in the workforce.
14-22
LEARNERS TYPOLOGY: LANGUAGE ACQUIRERS VS LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Abstract
Krashen’s Monitor Model has been arousing considerable debates for many years and learningacquisition distinction described by the author has become the subject of criticism from both researchers and teachers. But the controversy which is revealed in the Monitor Model and in the follow up literature is not resolved yet. Moreover, scholars and language teachers provide ample justification to foster this hot discussion. We have carried out literature study, introspective and retrospective analysis to examine our own experience as a teacher and as a language learner, and have studied cases described by many other language teachers in a number of teachers’ forums from 15 professional network groups. It is shown that individual learner differences are the key factor which should be taken into consideration when describing the process of second or foreign language mastering. Language learning and language acquisition should not be opposed to each other as they present different means of developing language skills used by different learners. As a result, some learners demonstrate process of language learning characterised by careful grammar rule studying and benefit from error correction, while others develop language skill through subconscious acquisition. Thus, we state that learners fall into two types: language learners and language acquirers whose individual differences predetermine the way learners study the language. The type of a leaner defines the peculiarity of language skill development.
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